Jet boat reversing device



Nov. 30, 1965 R. L. COCHRAN JET BOAT REVERSING DEVICE Filed NOV. 8, 1962 Fig. 4.

INVENTOR. RICHARD L. COCHRAN XMZUWMSWHUM H me 8 United States Patent 3,220,182 JET BOAT REVERSING DEVICE Richard L. Cochran, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to The Bilehler Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,291 1 Claim. (Cl. 6035.54)

The present invention relates to jet propelled watercraft and more particularly to a means for controlling the direction of such craft.

One form of jet propelled boat incorporates an engine operatively connected to a pump located within a conduit extending through the boat from an intake opening at the bottom of the boat to an exhaust at the rear of the boat. Water is drawn into the conduit through the intake opening and is exhausted in a stream from the rear of the boat causing the boat to move forwardly. The direction of movement of the boat is controlled by deflecting the stream of water as it leaves the rear of the boat. For example, the stream could be deflected so as to cause the stream to flow beneath and forwardly of the boat causing the boat to move in reverse.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide in a jet boat improved means for controlling the direction of flow of the water as it leaves the boat and for controlling the direction of movement of the jet boat.

One manner in which the stream can be guided so as to move forwardly of and beneath the boat is by a fixed deflector as disclosed in an application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 164,481 of Howard P. Lerwick et al., Rolling Disc Type Gate assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In operation, normal rearward flow of the stream of water is cut off forcing the stream to exit at and be guided by the fixed deflector. In designing the fixed deflector, the conflicting considerations are first to make the deflector project sufliciently to guide the stream and second to make the deflector project as little as possible so that it does not create drag when the craft is moving forwardly.

Consequently, a further object of the invention is to provide a jet boat direction control incorporating deflecting means which operate to properly and thoroughly guide the stream beneath the craft for reverse movement but which does not produce drag when the craft is moving forwardly.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the control system embodying the present invention includes a conduit mounted on a watercraft and having a first exit opening in a given direction. Means are provided for pumping water through the conduit toward the first exit. The conduit has a further exit opening in a different direction than the first exit. There is also provided means for blocking flow through the first exit to cause flow through the further exit. A vane is fixedly mounted on the craft in the further exit and is parallel to the walls of the first exit and extends in said different direction.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claim:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a jet boat incorporating the novel direction control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the rearward portion of the watercraft of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a reduced fragmentary bottom plan view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the watercraft of FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a jet boat having a hull 11 which is pro- 3,220,182 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 vided with an intake opening 12 at the bottom 13 of the craft. A conduit 15 is mounted within the craft and extends from the intake opening 12 to a housing 16 mounted on the transom 17 of the craft. The conduit 15 includes a discharge section 20 which opens into the housing 16 through a cylindrical aperture 21 in the forward wall 22 of the housing. A pump 25 is operatively received within the conduit 15 and is driven by a conventional marine engine 26 operatively connected to the pump 25 by a shaft 27. It can be appreciated that the pump 25 functions to pump water from the intake 12 into the housing 16. The water is constricted into a jet stream by the converging surface 28 of an annular member 27 fixed within the rearward end 30 of the discharge section 20 by snap ring 29.

The housing 16 is provided with an outer decorative covering 31 and further includes an inner housing or in ner functional box-like enclosure 33. This enclosure includes a rearward wall 32, the major portion 35 of which is flat and generally perpendicular to the axis of the discharge section 20. The inner enclosure or housing 33 further includes sidewalls 36 which are vertical and join the front wall 22 of the housing to the rearward wall 35 thereof.

A circular aperture 37 is formed in the rearward wall 35 in registry with the end 30 of the discharge section 20. When the gate 40 is in the illustrated upward position of FIG. 2, the water jet formed by the tapering surface 27 0f the annular member passes directly rearwardly through the aperture 37 without an appreciable portion of the water contacting any portion of the inner housing 33.

The above mentioned copending application of Howard P. Lerwick et a1. discloses a gate similar to the gate 40 and explains the operation thereof. It is sufi'icient for the present purpose to state that the gate 40 can be moved downwardly to cover the aperture 37 to block flow of water therethrough. Downward movement to such a position and to the illustrated upward position can be accomplished by pivoting of a lever 41 fixed to the end 42 of a shaft 43 pivotally received within a bearing 44 mounted on the transom 17 and housing 16 so as to extend through the transom and the forward wall 22 of the housing. At the other end 50 of the shaft 43, there is fixed an arm 51, the radially outwardly projecting end 52 of which is pivoted to a further arm 53 which, in turn, is pivoted to the gate at the axis 54 of the gate 40. Thus, is can be appreciated that swinging of the lever 41 does move the gate 40 upwardly and downwardly.

A pair of deflectors 55 are individually pivoted on shafts 56 which are received in suitable bearing portions 57. The deflectors 55 are positioned on opposite sides of the aperture 37 and are used to deflect the jet stream rightwardly or leftwardly (see FIG. 3) for steering the craft. The deflectors can be individually pivoted by means of a bifurcated member 58 fixedly mounted on the lower end of shaft 59. The shaft 59 is pivoted in bearings 59A integral with the inner housing 33. The shaft 59 and member 58 can be pivoted by a lever 59C extending into the craft. This steering apparatus is described in more detail in the copending application of James W. Reynolds and Robert L. Stevenson entitled Jet Boat Steering Deflectors, S.N. 236,292, filed November 8, 1962 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

The inner housing 33 is provided with only one further water outlet in addition to the aperture 37. This further water outlet is the passage 60 which includes a first portion 61 extending downwardly and rearwardly and a second portion 62 (which divides into two passages) and which extends downwardly and forwardly. It will be noted that the bottom 13 of the craft is generally straight "ice in front-to-rear vertical section and further that the lower end 63 of the housing and the passage 60 terminates above the bottom 13 of the craft (see FIG. 4) and, in fact, tapers upwardly (see FIG. 2) away from a projection of the bottom 13. Consequently, when the craft is moving forwardly, there is no tendency for the housing 31 to cause drag.

Fixed within the lower portion 62 of the passage 60 is a guide vane 64 which is secured to the sidewalls 36 and extends in generally parallel relation to the portion 65 of the rearward wall 35 and the portion 66 of the forward wall 22. It can be seen that the portion 62 of the passage as well as the portion 65 and 66 of the front and rear walls curve downwardly and forwardly in generally parallel relation. It has been found that by the addition of the vane 64 to the illustrated structure, the water flowing out of the passage 60 is directed downwardly and forwardly beneath the craft causing efficient, reverse thrust to be produced by the arrangement. It should be understood that in certain applications additional or further vanes parallel to and spaced from the surface 65 and 66 and from the vane 64 may be desirable.

From the above description, it will be evident that the present invention provides an improved means for controlling the direction of flow of the water as it leaves a jet boat and for controlling the direction of movement of the jet boat. It will also be evident that the present invention provides a jet boat direction control incorporating deflecting means which operate to properly and thoroughly guide the stream beneath the craft for reverse movement but which does not produce drag when the craft is moving forwardly.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claim are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

A control system for jet propelled watercraft adapted for movement on top of the water comprising a generally straight conduit mounted on the craft extending and opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit to exhaust from said opening, said conduit being constricted at the opening thereof for forming the water into a jet, a housing secured to the conduit at the rear of the craft and covering the opening thereof, said housing having a forward wall and a rearward wall including a flat, portion generally perpendicular to said conduit and having flat vertical sidewalls, said rearward wall having an aperture therethrough positioned in registry with said constricted conduit opening and jet, a gate received within said housing and movable between a position covering and blocking flow through said rearward wall aperture and a position uncovering said rearward wall aperture, said housing having a further water outlet in addition to said aperture, said further water outlet being a passage which includes aportion extending downwardly and forwardly between said vertical sidewalls, said passage being defined in part by said forward and rearward walls which curve downwardly and forwardly in parallel relation, said housing and craft having bottoms which are generally straight in front-to-rear section, the lower ends of said housing and passage terminating above the bottom of the craft, and a guide vane fixed to said sidewalls and positioned in said passage in downwardly and forwardly curving parallel relation to the front and rearward walls of said housing.

References Cited by the Examiner SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner.

ABRAN BLUM, Examiner. 

